YouTube is a popular platform for many kinds of music. Hardcore and metal are gaining more viewers there too. This is one of the cheapest ways to link the performers and their fans in the modern world. Also, underground culture strongly appreciates the informal kind of videoclips, YouTube is also a method to gain some recognition amongst the genre fans. This article is dedicated to the most popular metal music videos of all time on YouTube and tries to understand the secret of their success. So let’s discover these together!

Dio - "Holy Diver", 1983

Dio is an author and performer of the most recognizable songs in the history of metal music. The starting riff leaves the listener no right for mistake. The video for the “Holy diver” is taking the viewer into the fantasy world of warriors, dragons, and fairytale realms. It was directed by Arthur Ellis. Stylistically the visuals remind the Conan universe, and the story-telling is mixed with the shots of Dio himself, who sings, surrounded by the flames. The video is an essential '80s marker, with the popularity peak of the Dungeons & Dragons game. 

Black Sabbath - "God Is Dead?", 2013

This one is quite controversial, like everything that the collective does. The secret that brought a lot of attention to this video was the fact that Ozzy Osbourne, Geezer Butler, and Tony Iommy made their album together after a 35-year break. This clip is a mascot of their glorious return to the metal scene. The storyboard for this short movie, rather than just a music video, is shocking, eclectic, and even horrifying. The video is directed by Peter Joseph. He also used footage from his trilogy named Zeitgeist, which can also be described as controversial. Nietzsche would have approved. Many shots for this work are taken from the band archives and are combined with visuals of destruction, war, and the couple that depicts gluttony, from the movie The Discreet Charm Of Bourgeoisie. Make sure you don’t eat shrimps when you watch this video, folks! 

Rammstein - “Mein Teil”, 2004

Rammstein is famous for their original lyrics and message that they bring up in their songs, and videos too. The plot of “Mein Teil” is based on a story that had a high resonance at its time about the German cannibal Armin Meiwes. This horrible man is widely known by the name “ The Rotenburg Cannibal”.

The music video is demonstrating the grotesque image of how people are fascinated by obscene events. As with many other works of the collective, this particular music clip is a great illustration to the fact that clips are quite a suitable form to express social and political affairs. Also, this genre of filming deserves to be called art. 

“Mein Teil” is shot in sepia colors, which is typical for the aesthetic of Rammstein. The general idea in the video is about putting the viewer on edge, and no wonder, that with such history and attitude, it drives the interest of viewers until now. 

Sepultura - "Roots Bloody Roots", 1996

The band’s name comes from the Portuguese word that means “grave”. Well, that defines the thematic range of this Brazilian collective, which reached the peak of fame in the late ’80s and ’90s. Their looks and style of music videos are well-known among metal fans. The album Roots, to where the song Roots Bloody Roots belongs, is iconic and conceptual. Partially it was recorded in the Brazilian rainforest, in cultural collaboration with the local indigenous tribe. The video for the song also includes footage from this trip, as well as the shots from Salvadorian catacombs. Sepultura mixes the Brazilian cultural heritage into their work. The video for Roots Bloody Roots is infused with things that are strongly associated with their culture:
* Capoeira 
* Timbalada percussion 
* Catholic Churches

This video is a band's manifesto, who are proud of being Brazilian and who cherish their heritage. 

Tool - "Stinkfist", 1996

In the same year as Sepultura were celebrating their cultural identity, Tool was breaking into the Grammy awards, being nominated in the category “The Best Music Video”. Stinkfist is an enigmatic, highly conceptual, and artistic video. This recognizable work of the band’s guitarist Adam Jones, who appeared to be a brilliant director too, has won the award. Interesting fact: the original name of this song “Stinkfist”, was considered too offensive for the general audience of MTV, and it was changed to the “Track #1”. The fans were irritated a lot by this fact, but the name didn’t change after their complaints. However, one of MTV hosts, Kennedy, was always whiffing her fist when announcing the name “Track #1” by Tool.

Iron Maiden - "Can I Play With Madness", 1988

The giants of metal are sure to be on this list. The music video “Can I Play With Madness” was the first clip of this music genre to be shown on MTV. This concept music video was shot at Chislehurst caves and the Tintern  Abbey in the UK. For modern viewers, this work will resemble the looks of the Harry Potter universe. Along with the teachers character, portrayed by Graham Chapman, and the silver-bearded wizard, the film features the mascot of Iron Maiden - Eddie.

Slayer - "Seasons In The Abyss", 1990

This is the first song of the collective that became a music video. This work has outstanding Egyptian occultism inspiration, and with the great power of luck, the band filmed it right there amid the pyramids. The footage also contains mystical scenes in ancient tombs, but there is no storytelling per se, and the visual concept is based on how Tom Arraia imagines death. The video rotation on MTV was huge and later, long after the fame came up to the band, Slayer outran themselves with their fresh work called “You Against You”, recorded in 2015. 

Rob Zombie - "Dragula", 1998

Rob Zombie is also an author and performer who has a strong visual representation, beginning with himself as a manifestation of kitch and horror. No wonder that his music video “Dragula” is listed here. This work was Rob Zombie’s first experience as a solo performer and director. The video includes many iconic features and characters, that create a phantasmagoric perception:
* Creepy clowns
* Old school car
* Road tripping with demons as his sidekicks

These are things that are now considered as typical for Rob Zombie as a director, with an unforgettable flair of hallucination.

Metallica - "One", 1989

This collective is famous for its melancholic riffs and deep lyrics. The song One is an anti-war track that is iconic for the artistry of this band. The music video for this video was the debut of Metallica, and instantly it became a hit on MTV. Today, One is considered as one of the most impactful videos in the genre of metal music. The composition of the film includes shots from the Johnny Got His Gun - this movie is also declaring anti-war principles. One of the strongest moments in the clip is the demonstration of the World War I photograph, which depicts a soldier lying in bed with the sheet on his head.

Megadeth - "Sweating Bullets", 1992

Watching how the vocalist of Megadeth goes bananas on the video is a precious relaxing experience for any metal music fan. And what can beat that? More than one Dave Mustaine going bananas on the video, of course! That’s what Sweating Bullets is about. The general idea of the film is the conversation of multiple Daves who are imprisoned inside his mind. It is considered that the inspiration for this track was one of his wife’s friends, who suffered from anxiety disorder, thus the video explains to the viewer that there are situations when your conscience becomes your rival. Along with the lyrics, the video is definitely giving the viewers some material for thought.